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7) Mayor Of Kings Town (Paramount Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

There was a really odd way to describe something, which made it sound like the described thing was optional. The description was something like “Tatiana, with her back tattoo, rides….” In reference to sex. I’m guessing this is the first time Tatiana’s tattoo is visible. I am barely awake sometimes during this show. But, to me, the way it was described felt more like the way you would describe something that was optional, perhaps like a red wig, or lacy bra, not a more permanent thing like a back tattoo. If this is the first time we’ve seen the tattoo, I would have gone with (and since I don’t remember who she was riding, it’s just a placeholder) “Shown from the back, Tatiana rides SpongeBob, revealing an upper back tattoo” That lets me know the angle of the shot is focused on her from the back, almost like this back tattoo is impressively visible to the audience, and answers questions about this TV show and their willingness to show nudity in sex scenes. It’s far more likely that the scene would be shot from behind, since Mayor Of Kings Town has run on the paramount Network before. The other way is just a clunky way of describing what you think is the same thing, but not really. As far as the episode goes, Dianne Wiest had slightly more dialogue than the previous episode, and at least the totality of it wasn’t on the phone. But for a two time Oscar winner, I’m getting to the point where if they don’t actually give this goddess something to do, I can’t sit here and keep watching her deliver dialogue for her one obligatory scene that seems barely relevant. The writers on this series are incompetent.

Episode Grade: C

6) Will Trent (ABC/Hulu)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Finally an episode of Will Trent with audio description. Maybe they finally realized this is their highest rated bubble show, and most likely to slide into a second season.However, this episode, which basically decided to sideline Will for a chunk of the episode, and have his team trying to find him, wasn’t quite executed as well as it should have been. It was an excellent opportunity to let his supporting cast shine, including his partner. Taking the titular character basically off the board, is a strong move that a lot of series have performed. The problem here is that the writers, in their infinite wisdom, still ran a B-Plot, some dumb shit about a guy getting shot over sneakers, which didn’t make it feel like it was a major event. Instead, his partner was worried, but who cares? And Trent wasn’t entirely absent from the episode, and basically was plotting his own escape, and just got lucky. But in this shitfest, the writers threw in a ton of extra shit. There were flashbacks to when Trent was a kid, as well as a C-Plot about a pregnancy test. Then, the episode tries to end with Will’s boss handing Will a bill for expenses in his rescue, like they spared no expense. Fuck you. This episode did everything BUT convince me that getting Will Trent was the number one priority. In about 40 minutes, they had to introduce the story that would get Will caught, introduce the pregnancy plot, introduce the sneaker murder, and push these things all forward, while throwing in flashbacks, and inane conversations where one cast member compares her addiction to another cop’s rage issues. Functionally, this episode should have killed, instead, it was pretty messy.

Episode Grade: C+

5) American Idol (ABC/Hulu)

English Audio Description?: No

Recently, I saw a blind TV watcher lamenting the fact that neither American Idol, The Voice, or America’s Got Talent run with audio description. It’s such a shame. I know nothing about these kids. I also pulled idol down this week for shenanigans. Katy, Luke, and Lionel always give me the impression that they pull things out of a hat. It has never felt less real than how this judging panel functions, and the producers aren’t helping. We’ll spend like ten minutes with a girl who we are suppose to believe actually transportded snow cones from Idaho, listen to her sing the entirety of pink’s What About us, and even have a Skype chat, only to get rather indifferent feedback from the judges. Why are you investing so much time in indifference? Then, they spend a ton of time on Cameron, or Cam Ron, I really can’t tell since they kept pronouncing his name both ways, who was just a deeply average singer. Truly, and I mean this with as little disrespect, not only would he have been a No for me, but I have like twenty singers at the school I work that could sing circles around him. Yeah, his falsetto was high. But, that kid isn’t ready for this. Then, we end the episode with this sad story. This poor girl, abandoned at a young age, put through the Indian services version of foster care, and finding herself now a young single mother who “dances” to pay the bills for her and her daughter… the uplifting story to end our night, and she basically gets a no, and is invited to try again in Nashville. I’m sorry, but she wasn’t any worse than walMart Boy and y’all rolled out the red carpet there, but this girl (who has a great name for a future pop star) with an actual backstory, is just shrugged off. no second song? Just some minor coaching from Katy? I’m available to judge, just saying.

Episode Grade: B-

4) Hello Tomorrow (Apple Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

you do get to know the rest of the ensemble more in the second episode. It’s interesting to see the new kid fail so hard at being able to get in the door. But, what I noticed, is with a few minor exceptions, the show started to slip away from it’s science fiction elements, and honestly, even from that Leave it To Beaver, community of tomorrow vibe. The things that make the show different and special weren’t being utilized as much in the second episode.

Episode Grade: B

3) The Good Doctor (ABC/Hulu)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Well, they cured Tourette’s. So… Oh, and Glassy may be getting a little old. Sean ponders as the episode closes on that thought. Then I pondered on the necessity for that storyline. Richard Schiff is 67, just a year older than Bruce Greenwood who had a somewhat similar plot on The Resident. He’s also the same age as James Pickens Jr, who I assume still works at Seattle Grace, or whatever that hospital is called in the TV show that is older than kids graduating High School. So, I don’t know why we’re tackling this “can he still perform his duties?” Storyline. Perhaps, maybe he’s off his game since the writers burned his fucking house down three episodes ago.

Episode Grade: B+

2) Quantum Leap (NBC/Peacock)

English Audio Description?: Yes

This episode had stakes. Ben really felt like he was in a scenario that was impossible to get to. I still hope and wait for the day that Ben is able to send Sam home. I’m hoping that with the renewal of the show, Scott Bakula reconsiders his stance on appearing in the reboot. Every original series fan wants Sam to leap home. We’ve been waiting 30 years for that. This episode lost a point when at the end of the episode, the mole reveal happened, and we had to stomp on a damn phone so overdramatically. Just throw the damn phone in the car, and walk away from the car. Your mole is a highly sophisticated AI device that calculates and sees things in different timelines. Likely, it hears the conversation anyway, or it can see the ramifications of it in the future. It’s the SkyNet problem. now Magic just has to buy a new phone. For nothing.

Episode Grade: A-

1) East New York (CBS/Paramount Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Hey! look what made it to the top! I should keep a running list of how many times each series has actually topped the list against its random assortment of competitors. But, East New York had a solid episode that brought everything together. I even thought the little moment with the fighting older couple worked well. But the track kids came back into play. jimmy Smits is being used, and doesn’t even know it. Cillian is taking a job he knows is shady. And the main case of the week wasn’t shabby. All in all, this was rewarding writing paying off.

Episode Grade: A